Manufacturing and filling of essence containing packages for brewing beverages



March 2, 1954 sc Ho 2,671,026

MANUFACTURING AND FILLING OF ESSENCE CONTAINING PACKAGES FOR BREWING BEVERAGES Original Filed June 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY March 2, 1954 sc o 2,671,026

MANUFACTURING AND FILLING OF ESSENCE CONTAINING PACKAGES FOR BREWING BEVERAGES Original Filed June 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @wjiaja.

10: Misc/gem ATTORNEY March 2, 1954 L. HIRSCHHORN MANUFACTURING AND FILLING OF ESSENCE CONTAINING 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 PACKAGES FOR BREWING BEVERAGES Original Filed June 24, 1940 mi" 3 F.

,(D Mia/5 Patented MarQ Z 1954 M71026 o consume BEVERAGES PAKAGES7 more seem "a deceased, iate of Netg iorle,

o New York;

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pnkcaiiom June 24; Serial. Ne

' 3 12,1153w and thisgpplication Deceme Z; Chi'iiiis;

This; invention reiates to the manofactureand filling ofcontainers of tags. Although in meticing the invention containers or Bags" may e made foruse to package various materiaIs; the embodiment of the invention as herein described is directed to the novel fia'ckaging of tea, coffeeand; similar essence containing products made and sold as complete articles of manumc urerbr use in brewingbeverages, as for; example; in making so-called tea balls in containers-or bags formed of suitable heat sealing filter sheet materials. The manufacture of such suitable sheet materials is described inthejiatent to Theodore? F; Menzel, Patent No. 23061400" which" is also" directed to the novel methodof. producing same:

Among the objects of the invention is: to generally improve packages of the' chaiacter df scribed; which shall be; canableofbeing'broducelf of few and simple parts] as form inexpensive articles-of. neat and attractive" z tearance, which improved article sha-iibeadaptiard. fiarticuiariy for large scale production on-automatic machines; and'whi'ch arti'cietshail' be greenest aneemc ent to a high degreein use: This accusat on s a division 0? Ser:, No; 342053; filed? June? 24, I940; now Patent No; 231473754; A 7

Otherobjects of thisinventidn will" part be" obvious and-.- inpath hereifia'fter pointed? The" invention accordin ly consists in fa tures of construction and" method; combination of elements, arrangement ofba .as-dcmfiiifid inthe; construction hereinafter *ciesciifie H rid of which the scope of application will: teammate-c in the following ciaims. I I H In t-he accompanying diaNQiIilg in'wiiich possibie illustrative embodiments of the. invention are" shown: V

Fig, 1 is a perspectivewiew,sfiowing tfie method? of forming an elongated. tubular structure" item: a web or-strinrtakenfrom a fou mbodsiifigfthei construction of'theinventiofizi V Fig; la-is a fragmentary v ewcriemtmasstiue; ture formed as shown in" Fig; '1" b'zioi to Being severed intovunit sectionscas practiced in cafryiiig' out-said method} u 2and*3' are emsese-ctmnarvrewstekm on lines; 2-4- and 3 :1; resoectivelyqi4iifr Fig: If;

Fig 4" is a front elevationa-l;view:showiiigithe pressure heat. sealingpperationgfor forming the. crossseam permanenthottoniiolosur, V a. a bag structu e. aft r cutting: Bag; section from thefltuhular s'ti'iictureg me, 661st time ievaticnwvrevgom intent ofi oubi in'thoti wee. air 1 serial. No. 79.2

showing the formation. oi a pressure heat seaitf garnered closure Strifig" Haircare afitaiifiiem Fig. 17 s a crdss-sectiofiaiiview' tat-en" air iifie n n iirmgret v 7 Referring in detail to mev drawing dead-tee a gatheredclosure: type fies B5111 cellophane; said 5ase1ayef"21"d Being" suteifieiaiiy coated on one surface thereoi with an i adhering cnai-ae eegieserie qt heab yem mieneame zel: PatentvNot 2,306 ithbut-substantial-iw decreasingthetorigina pofiositmofsthezbase lay rs" 5 2m A-nmothensuitabietfilterzheati-sealinmsheett F a dliquids: for forming: tkiezbiw meterialrmax; beused 2 provided: mam. 1 m s w, material-L Willa withstandimmersiom in: boiling: water: without damage which permits reafiy? flames: ttiertm oiig contents- 1 seen-amt; e? eerie M Queer me be 2 r e tate mes z r'a -witlt coatingiamina-2'l5 wne usdias fleet-mater i 2 r m cr s composit if that erei iijscio degree of odor or tasteto the brew, and have no chemical reaction therewith.

The strip or web of said sheet material 2i with coated lamina 2lb as it continuously comes off the roll R is first doubled on itself lengthwise to position the coated lamina 2Ib in face to face relation, that is, said sheet material 2| is folded on itself along the mid-portion of the length thereof at 22 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Contiguous edge borders 23 of sheet material 2! extending the length of the strip opposite the fold 22 are then pressed together and heated at the fusion temperature of the thermosetting plastic forming the lamina 2w by suitable means, as for example, by passing said edge border 23 between heated rollers H to form a continuous longitudinally extending flat seam 24 in permanent adhesion, thereby providing an elongated tubular structure 25 from said strip of sheet material 2l.

The tubular structure 25 is next out successively to provide identical bag unit sections 26, each out being made along a line XX at a spaced distance from the upper or the remaining leading end 25a of the structure 25 as shown in Fig. la. tiguous edge borders of the cut portion of each unit 26 extending across the width of the strip opposite the end 250, are then pressed together and heat sealed in the same manner as described above for seam 24 except this operation being preferably performed by suitable clamping heaters C or other heated means to form a continuous cross outwardly extending seam 2'! in permanent adhesion joining the lower end of the longitudinal seam 24 of said section unit 26 to provide a bag structure 26a as seen from Figs. i and 5.

The bag structure 2611 is then filled with an essence containing product, such as tea leaves T, which is inserted through the leading end or mouth 25a in the well understood manner (not shown) The portion of the bag 26a adjacent the mouth 25a is next gathered together to include the upper end of the longitudinal seam 24 and forms a closure which is also heat sealed like seams 24 and 2'? described above for fusing the contacting surfaces of lamina 2112, all portions of said gathered end which have the lamina 2 ib being permanently fused together by a suitably constructed heated clampC to form a crimped joint 28, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. Before the crimped joint 28 is formed, one end 29a of a string handle 29, preferably pretreated or processed in said Menzel application, is inserted within the mouth 25a and is anchored therein during the permanent fusion of the crimped joint 23. The other end 2% of the string handle 29 maybe terminated by a tag 30.

The gathered closure of the mouth 25a instead of being provided with the fused crimped joint 28 described above, may if desired be retained by means of a metallic ring or band ids as shown in Fig. 8. Before the band I28 is clamped in position below the mouth 25a, one end l29c of a string handle i253 is inserted and anchored under said band I28, the other end 1291) of said string handle being terminated by a tag (not shown) like the tag 30 shown in Fig. 6.

The tea ball 20 thus formed confines the tea leaves T in the body of shallower depth and thickness than is otherwise possible with the longitudinal seam 24 and cross seam 2? arranged to serve as a trim for enhancing the attractive appearance of the tea ball 20, although made with agathered end which ordinarily would tend to make the tea The conball bulbous in shape, prov-ides here instead an almost pillow shape since the longitudinal and cross outwardly extending seams 24 and 21, respectively, formed with the heated sealed joints serve as stretchers or braces which gives the maximum thin spread to the body of tea leaves and thereby facilitates the infusion or steeping action. The seams 24 and 21 also retain the container or bag structure of the unit section 26a flat and make available the maximum filtering area of the sheet material used, thus permitting the reduction to a minimum the required amount of such sheet material 2!.

Another modification of the invention in the manufacture of a tea ball 129 is shown in Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive. Here the unit sections 26 are manufactured and the joint seams 24 and 21 provided to form unit bag structure 26a by the same steps set forth above for tea ball 2%! but instead of providing a gathered top closure with suitable retaining means such as heat sealed crimped joint 28 or band E28, the portion of the bag unit section 26a adjacent the mouth 25a is subjected to pressure and a clamping heat sealed treatment by a suitable device similar to that used in heat sealing the bottom cross seam 2'! to form a continuous cross outwardly extending seam l2! joining with the other end of the longitudinal seam 2d and thus form the top closure 12?. Midway of the ends of the seam till there is anchored one end ifiiic of a string handle i229 by suitable means such as for example a wire rivet 3i, said string being terminated at the other or free end by a tag ltd.

It should be noted that the string handle i319 is secured to the tag unit section 26a. so that the string handle extends over lengthwise the bag 260. as shown in Fig. 9. This form of securing the string handle 52% to the top closure l2? provides a loop or kink in the string end as at |29a (see dotted lines in Fig. 10) which resists and reduces to a minimum the chances of the string being pulled free from its anchorage as would be otherwise when the tea ball is held suspended by the string. The tea ball I20 here formed is pillow shaped and has besides the fold edge 22 a. longitudinal seam 24 with two spaced outwardly extending cross seams 2? and I2? of tea balls 28 and E20 not only provide a trim, for enhancing the appearance of said tea balls, but also serve as stretchers or bracers giving the maximum thin spread to the body of the tea leaves T and thereby facilitates the infusion or steeping action.

By applying the string handle 129 to the middle of the upper cross seam 12?, the tea ball is balanced when the filled bag is lifted so that the contents is retained in its most efiieient thin shape due to the construction of the tea ball with the upper cross seam l2'l, the lower cross seam 2?, the longitudinal seam 2e, and the anchorage of the string handle P29 to said upper cross seam i2? as described above and shown in Figs. 9

and 10.

To increase the strength of the tea ball structure at the anchorage of the rivet El and string handle end lZta, the upper cross closure seam 62? may preferably be provided with an in-fold as at l2l'a which may be formed by overlapping prior to heat sealing the permanent joint seam i2? as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Still another modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive. In this embodiment the tea ball 220, like that described above for manufacturing tea balls 20 and 28, has the longitudinal extending flat seam 226 completed like seam 24 described above. Before the bottom cross joint seams 21, however are applied to form unit sections bags 26a, the joint seam 22 i is moved laterally to a central position and folded, that is, overlapped to lie against the mid-portion of one of the fiat sides 220a of the tea ball 220 instead of extending outwardly from the edge thereof as in tea balls 29 and I29. While the said joint seam 224 lies in said folded position lengthwise the bag section unit 260:, the cross joint seam 21 is pressed and heat sealed, thus forming flat pillow shaped unit section bags with jointless spaced fold side edges 224a. The unit section bags 26a are then filled with tea T, or the like, and the top closure joint seams 22"? preferably formed with fold 227a is pressed and heat sealed in the same manner described above for the manufacture of tea ball I29. The string handle I29 terminated by tag I20 and anchored by rivet 3|, or the like, to the joint seam 22'! may be provided as described above for tea ball I29.

In all the above described constructions using the improved method embodying the invention, the joint seams such as 24, 21, I2! and 22! are shown to have substantial width. This and the fact that the porous sheet material 2| is somewhat stiif, retains the original shapes of the tea balls 29, I20 and 220 even when wet and immersed for brewing and consequently the tea contents T is in a relatively thinner layer than would be otherwise possible with a more flexible sheet material such as plain untreated gauze commonly used in making the conventional type of tea ball.

To further strengthen the stretcher bracing effect of the joint seams, instead of heat sealing said seams 24 and 21 by merely pressing the edge portions 23 together, they may be first folded over as at 24a and thereafter heat sealed in such folded condition in identically the same manner as described above for seam I21 there however being provided suitable means for a continuous folding operation ,as shown in Fig. 16.

The improved manufactured tea balls 29, I20 or 220 may be readily produced as a continuous process since such is particularly adapted for large scale production and lends itself for cooperation in assembled actuation of so-called high speed automatic packaging, filling and sealin; machine parts.

It is, therefore, seen that there is provided an improved article which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments of the invention may be in the above invention and as various changes may be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth and shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention it is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent: j

1. An article of manufacture containing an infusion commodity, which comprises a highly permeable enveloping filtering structure for said commodity of interlaced cellulosic fibers and a coating of a non-toxic, substantially odorless and tasteless, hot water-repellent lacquer bonding said fibers, said structure presenting infusion areas in said coating of lacquer.

2. A tea container or the like, which comprises a tea-holding structure of highly permeable, flbrous, cellulosic, filter material, said material having a coating of a non-toxic, substantially odorless and tasteless, hot water-repellent, thermoplastic lacquer on its inner surface and having infusion areas thereon, said structure having sealed areas to retain its contents, said sealed areas having been provided by activation of said thermoplastic lacquer.

BENJAMIN HIRSCHHORN. ROSIE HIRSCHHORN MANIN. MAX I-IIRSCHHORN. Ewecutors of the estate f Louis Hirschhorn, de-

ceased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,310,796 Hirschhorn July 22, 1919 1,491,952 Hirschhorn Apr. 29, 1924 2,138,358 Salfisberg Nov. 29, 1938 2,149,713 Webber Mar. 7, 1939 2,277,050 Reed et al. Mar. 24, 1942 2,498,197 Baxter Feb. 21, 1950 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE CONTAINING AN INFUSION COMMODITY, WHICH COMPRISES A HIGHLY PERMEABLE ENVELOPING FILTERING STRUCTURE FOR SAID COMMODITY OF INTERLACED CELLULOSIC FIBERS AND A COATING OF A NON-TOXIC, SUBSTANTIALLY ADORLESS AND TASTELESS, HOT WATER-REPELLENT LACQUER BONDING SAID FIBERS, SAID STRUCTURE PRESENTING INFUSION AREAS IN SAID COATING OF LACQUER. 